Eyelids fling open, an uncomfortable shudder running through my body as I stare up to the dull, wood ceiling. The dim hue moonlight leaks into the room, stretching across it, along with the shadow of trees and leaves alike. I shuffle about, forcing myself into a sitting position, palm mashing against cheeks before running them up and over my face, fingers gripping around hair before running through that too.

God, I hate dreams.

I clasp both hands together before burying my face into them, fingers gripping around my skull, driving the palms into my eyes. Those golden eyes still stain the dark, like it's burned into my eyelids.

It hurts, and I don't think that's from me trying to shove my eyeballs into their sockets.

What an awful dream.

I sigh, flopping back down onto the bed, staring up into the barren ceiling once again. I don't think I can get back to sleep, not at the moment, I still feel too raw from it all. Still processing all the information too. Doesn't help that it feels fucking cold here.

'Didn't quite expect it to go like that, did you?'

I got bits of what I wanted, but I got so many more questions in return. A hand runs over my face again, grumbling muffled by a palm, fingers scratching away the sleep that lines my eyes.

God, I have to tell the kid, I need to- do I need to, actually?

'You don't need to tell the kid anything, it's all you making it harder for yourself.'

I'm not going to hide it from her, she needs to know. There's no way that it's a coincidence that those two share so many similarities, especially those bloody eyes.

I need to know more about her. Fuck, I wish I got her name, or anything else about her, I wish that shitty dream decide to end itself right there. I don't know how to focus on a memory of someone I don't know.

'Stubborn bastard. Let's say that you tell the kid about that chick, what would you say next? That you remember someone similar to her and nothing else? You know nothing about her, and you don't have a clue as to how you're meant to find out more. Do you just leave it there for the kid to think about it? Her mind will wander, and what will it think?

...I don't know.

'That's right, you don't fucking know, just like you don't know anything else either. What if she believes herself to be abandoned, or sold off by someone who's meant to love her? Because she remembers that someone cared because of your words, and chances are that she's gonna hold onto those bloody memories as best she can. If you tell her that you might know who that person is and give nothing else to soothe her mind, it will find ways to fit something into those gaps. What would she think of you if those thoughts pin you as the reason for it all? Maybe she'll blame you for that separation.'

Sweat beads on my forehead, a concoction of hot and cold grappling with one another in my chest, vision blurring as I stare up to the ceiling.

She would blame me, wouldn't she? Maybe not immediately, and maybe not actively, but the thought that I remembered something and that I did something would squirm and rest at the back of her mind. I wasn't the best person in the past, especially then, and she knows that much. She would connect the dots in one way or another.

And she'll blame me.

She'll hate me.

'Maybe she will, maybe she won't, maybe she'll never think that way to begin with, but the possibility is there. And you don't want to take that chance, do you? Not when there's so much to possibly lose and nothing to gain. Well, what counts as a loss to you. I don't like the kid, but I don't want to deal with your brooding nonsense.'

...I'll tell her another time, then, when I know more, when I can do something with that knowledge. She deserves to know, just not when it could hurt her.

'I know you will, 'cause it's a flip of the coin to whether or not you'd shut your trap like a vice or spill your guts immediately. What counts as later isn't clear either, because 'later' always seems to be pushed back.'

Heh, it does, doesn't it? I feel like I do that a lot, there's still things I need to do that I've been putting off for a while.

'You're real good at putting things off. Perhaps it's for the best, in some cases, I wouldn't want the old woman exploding on us after all.'

The sound of soft mumbling and the stirring of sheets brings me from my thoughts, Adrians presence in my skull recedes as I turn to face the noise. A small form shuffles about in the dark, her ears twitching as she lays her head atop the edge of the mound of cloth, half lidded eyes shining in the darkness.

"Zeke?" She speaks with a mumble, a hand reaching up to rub against her eyes, maw opening wide before a squeaking yawn passes through it. I can feel the edge of my lips twitch up into a smile as I reach out to her, the weight on my chest fading as I rest my hand atop her head. I ruffle her hair, hands digging into it, the sound of her purring echoing throughout the room.

It's a blessed noise, and it sets my mind at ease, even if it's just a temporary solution. Her eyes close as she nudges her head into my hand, ears continuing to twitch.

"Sorry if I woke you up, kid." I apologize to her, lips twisting further upwards as she continues to purr. My hand moves from hair to ears, fingertips digging behind her ears. A happy sounding mumble comes from the girl as she presses herself against it, heart jolting at the sight.

"Is okay, did you have a bad dream again?" She asks, her head tilting to the side. I'm not sure if that's a natural reaction to her asking something, or because she wants to drive herself further into my hand, could be both. I really wish I didn't feel the pang in my heart, golden eyes filled with concern.

"It's, well, I guess you could say that." I answer with the bite of my tongue. It's not a very good answer, but I can't say any more than I need to, no matter how much I want to. Later, I'll tell her later, when I know more. I'll make sure of that.

"Mn." She mumbles in response, lips dipping into a faint frown. She shuffles about in the mound of cloth before dragging herself out of it, a yawn slipping from her lips as she wobbles about, standing upright.

"Kid?" She seems to ignore me, stumbling and flopping over beside me, borderline falling on top of my arm. I pull my arm away, letting the mattress cushion her fall instead of bone, her outstretched arms scrambling to wrap around my neck. I shuffle about to position myself into a less strange feeling position, wrapping my arms around her back. She mumbles under her breath, dragging herself closer, the hold around my neck tightening while she buries her face into the crook of my neck.

"Bad dreams suck." She pipes up, muffled by the fur that she smothers herself into. I don't know why, but the way she says that, it makes me laugh. It's not a very long or loud one, but it's enough to bring some warmth into my chest.

"That it does, kid, that it does." I say with a chuckle, the hold on her increasing ever so lightly as I pull her closer. Her chest rumbles with her purring, and the warmth from her beats away the suffocating cold. "I'm sorry for disappearing for so long today,I had some things to do."

"Adult stuff?" She shuffles about, her chin resting on my chest as she looks up to me. It's an adorable, innocent stare, and her twitching ears don't exactly help me. Gods, I'm in real deep, aren't I?

'You only have yourself to blame for it, dumbass.'

Bite me.

"Yeah, I'd tell you more, but…" I trail off, lips twisting into a grimace as I look away. I can't talk about it, no matter how much it burns my chest and heart. I won't drag her into any of this, I won't let her be hurt because of my dreams

"It's alright, I understand." She responds with a nod, the bright little smile on her face returning for a moment. I don't see it for long, the girl burying her face into my neck once more. "Are you going out again today?"

"Yeah, later in the morning anyways. I have things to do, but I'll be back soon enough." She mumbles into my fur before pulling herself away again, a dainty looking pout on her face as she huffs. God, it's an adorable sight. I raise a hand to her head, ruffling her hair again. "I'll be back much sooner than before though."

"Do you promise?" She asks, her voice unbearably soft, barely above a whisper. That sense of joy hardens for a moment, my fingers pressing down onto her scalp.

"I promise, kid." I assure her, hand moving around to massage the back of her ear.. I won't break that promise, either, I'll make sure of it.. Her lips tremble for a moment, that serious look on her face lingering for a moment before dropping it, lips curling up into a grin as she giggles.

"Okay!" Her voice and attitude seems so bright, and it's a delight to see. A yawn replaces her giggling, that energy of hers dying down almost as quick as it appeared.. A hand of hers grips my arm, a loose grip, though I can still feel her claws ever so gently press against me, her head resting back into my neck. "M'sleepy, and cold."

"You can crawl back into the hill of blankets you made, kid. It'll be a bit warmer there."

"Noh." She drives her face into the crook of my neck, though it's not like she can go any further, her mess of hair obscuring my vision. I let out a soft huff of amusement, lips twitching back up into a smile as I let go of her for a moment, reaching over to the mound of blankets. The small whine of her's replaced with a squeak of joy as I drag the pile over, dumping it all atop us..

It's far from a perfect job, or even a good one, hastily yanked blankets don't give me much of a chance to properly tuck her in after all.. But she seems to accept the end result anyways, a great, bright fanged smile taking place on her face, eyelids drooping as she tugs the cloth closer to her.

"Thank you." She says simply, eyes finally closing shut. It's a cute sight, and I can't help but smile, hand returning to its rightful place behind her head, fingers pressing behind her ears. Warmth washes over me, clinging to me like a cocoon.

I tear my sight from her for a moment to look around. I can't see the moon by any means, but the shadows that stretch around the room are long and drawn out. That means that it's setting, right? The sun will eke its way out through the horizon soon after, and light will return. I'll leave soon after that, then, it'll give the kid plenty of time to get to sleep too.

I look down to her, her body relaxing as her breathing softens. Her nose and ears twitch every so often, but she remains still and silent beyond that.. That small smile still lingers on her face, soft and at ease. Moments like this puts my heart at ease, and the niggling in the back of my skull seems far easier to ignore, it's peaceful.

'This peace won't last. There's work to do, and things to keep an eye one. Who knows when that Stranger will pop up again.'

I know, I know. I don't expect this to last for the day, but even this brief moment of respite is better than none at all, especially for her.

'Mn, figured that'd be your answer. It's very you.'

I'll take that as a compliment. I run my hand through her hair before resting my chin on her head, pulling her closer, a soft sigh slipping past my lips. I'm so tired, even if I feel a bit better than when I went to bed, that weariness still lingers. I still can't sleep despite that though, and there's not much else to do until morning comes. I suppose it could be worse, I'm not exactly cold anymore.

'I did warn you about that.'

I know, but I dealt with it at least. My fingers trail up and down her back, lips pursing together while I glare a hole into the bed with knitted brows. It hurts to keep things from her, but I'll do what I need to keep her safe.

'Staying safe does apply to us too, right?'

I close my eyes and welcome the darkness and warmth alike, a pleasant feeling stirring in my chest. Is warm, and soothing.

'Zeke, you fucking waste of skin.'

Christ you're loud, I'll be as safe as I can, alright? I can't protect anyone if I'm a corpse. That seems to get the bastard off of my back, though I can still hear him grumbling as he recedes back into my mind. I can hear the kid mumble something, her body shivering for a moment before relaxing once more.

I'll protect you, whatever it may cost me.

In a world of horrible misfortune, I just want you to smile again.

…

Stone walls and cold floors, that seems to be a staple of this room. The sound of wood creaking comes from below me, claws digging into the table for balance.

"Are you getting better chairs any time soon? If I'm gonna be dragged here, then I'd like to at least be somewhat comfortable during it." I ask the captain, edging back and forth on the hind legs of it. I know that I only asked yesterday and all, but still, this shit feels painful dammit. The captain doesn't respond, though I can feel him staring from underneath his helmet.

'Must you really irk the man?'

Hey, if he's gonna call me in here to 'chat', then he's gonna get what he'll always get from me. I just wanted to hand in Edwards sword to him, but noooooo, the bastards gotta drag me here. I turn my sight over to the man at hand, his body stiff, hands tightly clasped together.

"What? Everything you've heard from Gerome is more or less all there is to know." I say with a huff, the legs of my chair tapping against stone, finally releasing my grip on the table.

"Even so, I'd like to hear about your personal recollection of the night. I do trust Gerome, but I'm aware that he was out of the room, and there is a possibility that he might've misheard one thing or another, or you could've seen something potentially important." He responds, his voice as flat and terse as ever. I sigh, my fingers massaging my temple as I lean forward, chin resting in the palm of a hand.

"Alright, fine then." There's not much else to do but to tell him, right? It'd get him off of my back for a while, hopefully. So I spill my guts, I tell him about everything that happened, even the thing with the Stranger. Knowing the bastard, he'd poke and prod until I told him about it anyways, so I might as well get it out of the way now rather than later. At least he has the decency to not interrupt me when I'm talking, small mercies I suppose.

A tense silence reigns the room, fingers drumming against my cheek idly. The captain hums, a guttural and rumbling noise.

"Hm, I see." He trails off, his head dipping ever so slightly, the helmet dinging against the gauntlets. Looks like he's mulling over something in that skull of his. "I was correct in my assumptions, then."

"That you'd get something out of sending my ass there? Yeah, you were." I bark with a hot growl, gloved fingers digging into the fur of my cheeks. The captain shuffles in his seat, the sigh that comes from him is barely audible, even in the still silence.

"I pray you know that I take no pleasure in my assumptions being correct, Zeke, for it is a far better outcome for those to be wrong. Were every worry to be correct, then Mekkan would be a far crueler place." He replies after a moment, head rising along with it. I stifle a snort as best I can, if he heard it, then he sure doesn't react like he does. I guess this place could be worse, but it could be a whole lot better.

'Here I was thinking that you were used to it by this point.'

Maybe, maybe not, doesn't mean that I don't hate it regardless. At least I've met some people who aren't quite like that, more than I expected. Silver linings I guess.

"So what's the plan now, cappy?" I ask as I lean back into the chair, shoulders rolling about lazily, straightening my cloak idly. He doesn't respond immediately, nor for a while, but I swear I can hear the gears in his head turning.

"There's not many leads to follow up on as of right now, though this information could potentially be rather useful later on. We know more about who and what we're dealing with, and what they could be after. I thank you for your service." He says, his hands grips on one another loosening, a faint but noticeable enough movement. Now that does get a laugh out of me, a short bark that I don't even try to hide, it echoes throughout the room, distaste stirring in my chest..

"Hah! Well don't I feel fucking honoured by that, thanks cappy."

"I'm attempting to thank you for your assistance, Zeke."

"And you can shove it up your ass, you knew I was gonna take on the job regardless of what you'll say. Just hurry your ass up and tell me what you need me to do, then leave me alone. I have other things to do today." I feel a sneer creep its way onto my face, the tapping fingers turning stiff, gripping my cheek. He looks rather calm about all this, at least from what little I can see anyways. Maybe he expected it.

"Very well. As I've said before, there's nothing more to do, though we will keep digging and looking around. I suggest that you remain in the town for a while longer, preferably until we have this situation sorted." He continues after a moment. I hum, slouching further into my hand. I guess I've been here for a while, so staying for a bit longer shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

And yet, I can feel that itching inside my chest, a longing to move on to somewhere. I don't know why it's there, nor why it kicks itself into gear every now and then.

'Don't go stir crazy on anyone, I have a hard enough time handling you normally.'

What are you, my wrangler?

"Alright. Anything else?"

"No, that's all. Dismissed." He finishes the conversation with the wave of a hand, stiff and swift. Finally, I was gonna go mad in here. I gleefully push myself off of the terrible chair, a pep in my step as I waltz away from here. Finally free, god bless.

"Zeke." The captain's stoney voice catches my attention, a hand wrapped around the knob. I twist my neck to look at him. I can barely see his eyes underneath the helmet, a cloudy look in his eyes. "Keep an eye out for strange happenings in the town when you walk about, and report back when you're free."

I raise an eyebrow, an uncomfortable feeling stirring in my chest. What does he think I am, a fucking watchdog? I bite my tongue, resisting the immediate retort.

"Fine." I say with a hiss, tearing my sight away from him and marching out the door. I let out a soft sigh as the door closes shut behind me with a click, running a hand through my hair. Bloody pain in the ass.

"You don't look too pleased, Fuzz." A familiar voice calls out, a soft hum following soon after. I look to face the source, the edges of my lips twitching upwards in turn. "Everything going well?"

"More or less, your uncles a prick, could've just been an in and out discussion if he didn't fuck around." I reply, fur bristling as I take in the view. Edwards still clad in plain clothes, his body relatively relaxed, a tired little smile on his face. I can't imagine that it's comfortable to lean against stone walls, I wonder how long he's been there.

"Mn, sounds like him." He pushes himself off of the wall, his tired smile slipping for a moment as he waltzes over to me, a hand raised to clasp my shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright, Zeke."

"Come on, I can handle myself juuuuust fine, you gotta have some faith in me." I give the man a wink, following up with a light jab into his shoulder. He lets out a soft nsort, the edges of his lips twitching upwards, just a tad. He must've been worried, huh? Something about that puts this tingling feeling in my chest. I like it. "You'll be wanting your sword back, won't you?"

"I'm glad you remembered it, surprised, but glad."

"Surpri- come on, my memory isn't that bad." I say with a pout. He doesn't respond, an eyebrow raised as he continues to stare, a teasing glint in his eyes. I give the bastard another jab, one with a bit more force behind it. He takes it well, a good natured sounding chuckle coming from him. His smile turns a little bit brighter as his hands slide from shoulder to head, fingers digging into my hair, ruffling softly. That tingling feeling returns, lips instinctively twitching upwards.

No, bad, let me pretend to be annoyed with you dammit! I raise a hand upwards and bat away his arm, forcing my lips into a frown.

"You suck." I finally squeeze out after a moment, ears twitching as his laughter fills the air. He's lucky I like him, asshole. My hands slide down to my waist, fiddling with the belt before handing it over to him. "There you go, it's all yours, thanks for the 'excuse' to come visit you, by the way."

"I uh, you're welcome, I think?" He gives off an awkward looking smile, a hand of his rubbing the back of his head. God, he looks so confused, it's adorable. "I'm still sorry about-."

"No." I raise a hand to his face, flicking the tip of a finger against his nose. He flinches back a little, nose scrunching as he does so.

"No?"

"You're not allowed to say sorry. I went in there knowing that there could be potential risks, and I came out unharmed, it's fine." I talk on, giving him a smile of my own. I don't think it reassures him, there's a conflicted look on his face, a guilty one. God dammit, now that just makes me feel bad. Hm… "Hey, you wanna make up for it, right?"

That seems to snap him back into reality, that guilty look replaced with a more confused one instead.

"...yeah?"

"Come out with me some time, tonight, tomorrow, some random time in the future, I don't care. We could go to the tavern and have a night out, drinking and eating whatever the fuck fancies us. Bring whoever you want or bring no one at all, I just wanna spend some time with you." I continue, resting a hand on his shoulder, giving him the brightest grin I can muster. He's… oddly silent, an eyebrow raised as he continues to stare. My cheeks burn as I pull away from him, an awkward laugh slipping from my lips. "I ah, sorry, did I say too much?"

"No no, it's just…" He trails off for a moment, lips contorting into a confused frown, humming all the while. An anxious feeling runs itself through my body, wriggling and writhing as it rests in my chest. Eventually, he lets out a soft chuckle, the frown on his face slipping, replaced with a warm smile. "It's fine, Zeke, I'd be more than willing to do that together. We'll do it together sometime soon, then. I know that you're looking after the keidran and all, so I wouldn't complain if you brought her along."

"Lucy would wanna come along too, wouldn't she? Or at least she'd kick up a fuss if we didn't invite her."

"Hah, that she would. We haven't done that in a while, haven't we?" He chuckles once more, his smile still lingering as his head tilts back, just a little bit. I nod in turn, but hum myself. That would be nice, it has been a while, and it'd be real fun, and yet...

Gah, my throat feels all clogged up just from thinking about it, it's weird. I might as well try to spit it out

"Would you mind if we did it ourselves, at least once? Just the two of us, I mean, kind of like the first time we met up at the tavern." I finally force the question out of me, a hand rubbing the back of my head, the heart in my chest twisting and turning.

"Sure, just don't drag me around too often, I don't like to throw around my coin too much."

"I'll pay for it!" I pipe up, the thundering in my chest dying down. Thank fuck, I was worried for a second there, I don't wanna force him to do something he doesn't really want to do.

'Do you even know how strange you act?'

Eh? What do you mean by that?

'That's an apt enough answer within itself, really.'

"Heh. So, do you want us all to meet up at the tavern tonight then? I have some things I ought to do tomorrow, I've been putting that off for a while now."

"Yeah! I'd love to." My heart feels warm, and light, it's a comforting feeling that puts me at ease. It's nice. Sadly, I can't exactly stay around here too much. "I gotta go, I have things to do myself. I'll see you tonight."

"That you will, stay out of trouble, will you?"

"Hey!" The bastard has the audacity to laugh at me, the grin on his face only widening as I stick my tongue out to him. He waves, turning and walking off, his grip on the sheathed blade still tight. The light feeling in my chest dies down soon after he leaves, body relaxing.

'It's about time, where are you off to next?"

I hum to myself, carefully slipping my hands into the cloak pockets as I amble down the hall.

I need to see Gerome, or Vector, either of them's good enough. They'd be where they normally are, right? Tch, better get that out of the way now rather than later. Quicker I can do it, the quicker I can get away from the crowd, too.

A sigh slips past my lips, fingers brushing against the jangling steel inside the pockets.

'You forgot your sword again.'

I know, I just hope I don't find a reason to need it. The dagger will be a good enough deterrence for most.

Through stoney walls and past an inattentive watchman, the door swings open, cold air rolling over me.

Alright, let's get this out of the way.

…

The small journey is far from pleasant, the feeling of being shoulder to shoulder with humans, in such a large group, it's suffocating. It doesn't help that their voices always seem so loud, their whispering a cacophonous noise that rings in my skull.

I fucking hate crowds. I ignore them as best I can, pushing through the crowd until the very end, pushing past the lot and sucking in the deepest possible breath I can. It almost tastes sweet.

'Dramatic bastard, aren't you?'

I hate crowds, loathe them, and I detest every second I have to be stuck in one. I turn my sights over to the fountain, the glint of the sun's glare reflected in the gushing water, it's a pretty sight. Prettier still is the lack of people about, scarce couplings of humans clad in cloaks scatter about, speaking in hushed tones to one another. They're also not looking at me, which is excellent.

I waltz over to a familiar shack, wrapping my knuckles against the shiny desktop.

"Hey Gerome, you in there?" I call out to the insides. It's silent for a while, a dull thump coming from the very back of it, a familiar face poking out from behind the sheets.

"Oy, hello young Zeke! Good to be seeings you here." His lips curl upwards into that jovial grin of his, stepping through and into the open. He's still wearing the same clothes as last night, though it's a bit more ruffled. "How is you today? Here to pick up package, yes?"

"Yeah, I a- wait, how do you know that?"

"Vector told me, of course! Good friends talk to one another, and is good for business too, being in dark when client comes asking for things is no good, quick and simple is very good for customer satisfaction." He rattles off immediately, that grin of his widening. Hm, makes sense I guess, especially if it's a joint operation. Can't say that I know much about mercantile related things, do they keep a list of who they've sold products to down somewhere?

'I wouldn't be surprised. It'd keep up the appearance of legitimacy if the guards ever come knocking, though that doesn't seem to be a problem around here.'

"Fair enough, did he tell you that I already paid?"

"Of course! Give me moment." He ducks away into the back of the store once more, I can hear him rummaging around back there. He reappears after a few moments, a tight hold on a wooden crate.

"Here you goes young Zeke!" The boisterous man calls out to me, planting it onto the desk, sliding it over to me. I wrap my hands around the edges, ignoring the splinters that dig into my gloves and lift it upwards. It's far from the heaviest thing, but there's some weight to it. This should last us for a while, right?

"Thanks for keeping a hold on it, both you and Vector."

"Is no worries! Anything else catch your mind, young Zeke? Shop is always open for paying customers." He lets out a warm, hearty laugh, a hand resting on his hip. Even still, there's a little glint in his eye.

'A merchant with a lust for coin isn't exactly surprising.'

He's not like the rest of them, the ones that I've seen, at least he keeps to his morals in one way or another. Besides, I scratch his back, he scratches mine, nice and easy.

"I'll keep that in mi-" I cut myself off with a choke, fingers tapping against wood. "Actually, I do have something in mind."

"Oh? Let us hear it then!"

"Do you have any idea what would be a good thing to give to a kid, cause I uh, I don't know much." I ask the merchant, forcing the twitching fingers to stay gripped to the crate. The man's smile remains, but it looks a bit… warmer, I suppose.

"Ah, gift is for little Mabel then, no?"

"Yeah. Do you have any idea what could keep her interested, keep her happy?" I push on. His lips purse together, humming as a hand cups his chin, thumb running up and down his jaw.

"Is good question, though not for reason you might be thinking. Why do you think gift would make child happy, young Zeke?" He asks in turn. Hm, I'm not sure, really. I look away for a moment, rummaging through my head for an answer, any at all.

"Because kids like gifts, right? Gifts and toys, things like that?" I answer, looking back up to him. He's silent for a while, the sound of his humming intensifying, above the din of the crowd.

"You are very confused man, aren't you?"

"Hey!" I squark, ears twitching as his boisterous laughter fills the air once again. A hiss escapes my lips as I swivel my head about, looking over to the crowd that surrounds us. They're not paying attention to us at least, small mercies.

"Hah, deepest sorrys young Zeke, is just funny to see."

"You already look like an old man, do you really want to sound the part, too?" He laughs again, a hearty sounding thing. At least it gives me time to shrug off the patronizing feeling.

"Ah, but age brings wisdom, no? Wisdom for things such as gifts! You do want to know what would be best gift to give to little mable, no?" I sigh to myself, but nod. His smile softens for a moment as he leans down. "Give her time, Zeke."

"...eh?" I pull away from the man, face scrunching up as I stare at him, an eyebrow raised.. Time? What the hell does he mean by that?

"Time would be greatest gift to give to poor girl. Spend time with her, rather than your coin." He continues on, his tone softening towards the end.

"But I spend plenty of time with her, wouldn't she want something else?" He's silent for a while, the din of the crowd that surrounds us growing.

"Sometimes, good memory has more worth than any gift bought with coin. And child is needing of good memories, no?" He sounds… oddly solemn as he answers, his gaze turning away for a moment as the smile on his face droops. It disappears after a while though, his more jovial energy returning. "Of course, if young Zeke finds good looking gift for girl, I would be more than happy to lighten your coin pouch!"

...Hah, I never thought about it like that before. I guess it comes with seeing life differently, I think he might have a point.

'Never thought I'd see the day where a merchant talks a customer out of buying something from them, lucky you.'

"I'll keep all this in mind, thank you for your help Gerome, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

"Bahah, is no worries Zeke, shop is always welcoming for you!"

"I might be back later for a few other things, truthfully."

"Very well! Shop is always open for patronage, and you have plenty of coin, no?" He gives me a wink before slinking away, waving before disappearing into the back of his shop. I let out a small laugh, looking down to the crate and the packets within.

Good memories, huh? I hope that I can give her plenty.

...I still need to walk through the crowd again, fuck.

'Man up, let's get going.'

….

Mid morning sunlight bares down on my back, an earthy scent wafting through the air. It's nice to just walk through a place like this.

I like it.

It's soothing.

...but something's wrong.

Where are the birds?

I stop and look around, neck craning to look into the canopy above. A shiver runs up my spine, heart racing as the grip on the crate tightens.

'Someones watching us.'

I can feel its eyes, glaring a hole into my throat with a burning passion.

"I know you're there." I call out to the trees, keeping my voice as level and cold as possible. Are they friendly, or an enemy? A curious passerby, perhaps? I wish I had my swor- wait, do I still have that knife? It should still be in my pocket, and the mana crystal too.

Silence.

The steel inside my chest wavers, though I keep a stiff grip on the wood. Am I wrong, am I being paranoid again?

'I'm the eyes in the back of your skull, Zeke. Someone's here, I can feel their taint, whoever it may be.'

"Make it easy on the both of us, will you? I don't have time for this." I bark aloud, claws digging into the dirt below.

"Hasty and perceptive, at least that hasn't changed just yet." I swivel about to face the voice, a figure clad in black, sitting atop a branch. He clasps his hands together, a short chuckle coming soon after. "A pleasure to see you around here, Not Knight! How's your day been?"

"Stranger?" My body freezes as I stare at him, his visage obscured by that magical fucking cloak of his. What the f- stay calm, stay fucking calm. "What are you doing here?"

"What, can't I appreciate the wildlife around here? There's not much else to do in a place like this, so I thought I'd go look around, see if there's anything interesting around here." He speaks, chuckling soon after he finishes, resting his chin on a hand. "And here you are! Small world, no?"

"You've been following me around, haven't you?"

"What, me? I'm insulted by the mere thought! I'm not the type to stalk after all."

"I beg to differ, you lonely bastard." I say with a snort. I blink, staring blankly at the man.

...I didn't mean to say that, that just slipped out of my mouth. The Stranger gasps, a hand pressing against his chest.

"Ah, such a familiar bite! Perhaps you remember more about me than you truly think, or…" He trails off, the branch below him creaking underneath his weight as he leans forward. His face might be hidden behind shadow, but I swear I can feel his smile. "Perhaps you've decided to remember more than before."

An unnatural stiffness reigns the air, cold grip taking hold of my chest. He pulls himself away, head twisting to face down the road.

"Your purpose, part of it lies down that road, does it not?" He questions. I don't respond, swallowing the lump in my throat. He knows, he knows. "That is your drive, and you would protect it from those who'd wish it harm, wouldn't you?"

"Without a doubt."

"And if I were to try?"

"I'd tear your fucking throat out." The snarl slips out of me without a second thought, face contorting into a sneer while I glare up to the man. He turns his sight back over to me, returning my stare, humming all the while.

"Would you look at that, that pure and honest aggression, that's the Knight I remember! But, something's still wrong with it, tainted, impure, how fascinating." His voice turns quiet, mumbling underneath his breath, though I can't make anything of it. Tainted, impure? What the hell is he on about?

'We've established that he's a madman already, I expect nothing out of his mouth to make sense.'

"Not Knight! You plan to come after me given the chance, don't you?" His shouting brings me back to attention. I grunt, answering with a nod. He seems rather happy about that, his hands clasping together once more. "Good, good! Please, keep doing whatever you wish, keep running through that skull of yours for more memories of me, I beg of you, for it'll make the setting of the stage that much sweeter!"

He laughs, and laughs and laughs, a cackling noise that puts the hair on the back of my neck on end, a hand of his disappearing into the black. His body stiffens, the laughter abruptly cut off and replaced with a hiss, a shaky hand returning back into view.

"Hah, would you look at that, you've got me all excited, that's lovely, lovely!"

"Christ, you have some issues, don't you?" My jab doesn't seem to get a response from him, sparks of deep blue flickering around his body.

"Keep doing what you wish, and play your part when it comes to it. I'll do no harm to your purpose so long as you do that. Farewell, Not Knight, we will see eachother soon." The sparks deepen, thickening into a suffocating fog that encompasses him. With a small flash, the Stranger disappears, with not a mark left behind.

I let out a breath I didn't even realise I was holding, warmth slowly returning to my limbs.

I need to get to Anna's.